OFF THE WIRE
BY AMY WHITE
There has been a recent bout of various governments and law enforcement shutting down bike nights using zoning laws as the reason. Arkansas is not an exception. A-State Boys MC, a sport club that is ran by strict protocol and intermingles heavily with the heavy in our state had this happen to them. We have many different bike nights in Central Arkansas but 501 is by far the best one around. A-State State President Travis Lemmons is a consummate entertainer and event planner, and when combined with DJ Petey, they ensure a fantastic time at every event. The entertainment is never raunchy or rowdy beyond a bikini bike wash or a rap song. I have seen everyone from Bandidos to Boozefighters to CMAs at their events. The activities they host include things like tough man contests doing push ups, cold water challenges, a Jackyl concert, a wrestling match.. Their bike night was held on Thursday Nights at Twin Peaks bar and restaurant, a huge two story Hooters type establishment with rustic lumberjack decor. I never witnessed anyone popping wheelies or doing burnouts or any other erratic or dangerous behavior there.
In April, a devastating tornado wiped out a large portion of central Arkansas and I had the privilege of working with A-State and the 501 bike night gathering relief for the victims of the storm. We had an unprecedented turn out and filled our trailers and had to send out for more. While we were moving bikes and trailers around trying to gather all the stuff we collected, there were vice cops milling through the crowds.
We were even on Channel 11 News taking help to Mayflower… While the cops were picking on us we were doing this:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – Arkansans are doing everything they can to help disaster victims regroup after the storm.
At the Verizon Arena, the motorcycle community gathered to drop off donation items and stuff a tractor-trailer full of supplies. Once they got the truck loaded, the bikers gave it a free escort to the damage sites.
“As a motorcycle community whether you’re with a club or not, it’s ingrained in us to support our state, and anytime Arkansas goes through a tragedy like this, the motorcycle community is going to come together to support it,” said one of the club leaders.
Different motorcycle groups had drop-boxes set up across the state. As an incentive to donate, a local tattoo shop gave out free Arkansas tattoos to anyone who dropped something off.
here is the news story…
http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2014/05/04/arkansans-doing-everything-they-can-to-help-disaster-victims-regroup/8682237/
That night they wrote tickets to Twin Peaks bar for the bikes being parked in the wrong place and the city of Little Rock completely shut down bike night using zoning laws.. Or at least they tried to. We are Arkansans, we don’t give up easily.
Our tried and true bike shop and home of the Abate District 1 Toy Run and the legendary ride to Toy Hill, Rodney’s Cycle House has once again stood and delivered. Proprietor and long time Hamster Rodney Roberts has recently opened a new fabulous location.. It includes a huge store, the Handle Bar bar and grill, and of course his bike shop… He was hosting a bike night on Thursdays as well. We all know bikers don’t leave other bikers behind.. A-State and Rodney joined forces and now we have a super badass bike night of epic proportions. I don’t really think you can zone bikers out of a bike shop either.
Congratulations, Arkansas bikers, for your continued teamwork, unity, and tenacity. I am proud to be one of you.
A-State Boys MC
